[Rob80b]

Well we think that after almost 70 years in designing transducers and 40 plus years researching and manufacturing open headphones they know what they are doing.
 
While I’m waiting for Sennheiser to get parts for my HD700s I’m stuck listening to my HD580/600, and while they are satisfying once I mossy up to their sound signature, IMHO the HD700 pull out all the stops with regards to what I want in sound, openness and staging and can’t help but feel the HD600 series are overall dated in comparison.
I believe those that do not find the HD700s as accomplished as they are may be too accustomed to the “head between the speaker effect” and have difficulty getting at what exactly Sennheiser has achieved with the HD700s.
Yes the HD800 and some other phones are more revealing still but they miss the overall objective, sort of akin to sticking ones ear to a speaker’s tweeter to hear all the detail, same goes for bass reproduction. For example with direct comparison to my Dynaudio Special 25s augmented with my 15” Velodyne equalized for a flat bass response down to 20hz the HD700 give me the same results, anymore and I know technically the bass has been exaggerated. And even though the HD700s are still more or less still typical to headphone staging, more vertical than horizontal, they do come much closer to what I expect from properly positioned speakers than any current phones I’ve listened to, excluding the AKG K1000s or similar, which fail terribly with most other aspects of the sound, but that’s just me.

 

[HPiper]

I have had the HD700 for about a week now and I like them very much. I hear people saying that the HD800 is even better. Can anyone elaborate a bit. In what areas are the HD800's better. I have heard the 700 is actually better in the bass area and that is one of the things I like about them. So how and where do the HD800's sound better?

 

[Jon-LF]

I have had the HD700 for about a week now and I like them very much. I hear people saying that the HD800 is even better. Can anyone elaborate a bit. In what areas are the HD800's better. I have heard the 700 is actually better in the bass area and that is one of the things I like about them. So how and where do the HD800's sound better?

I picked the 700s over the 800s because they sounded more exciting to my ears, top and bottom end. Many find the larger 800s more comfortable - though I find them too large, and in ultimate detail and soundstage they take the 700s already very detailed and large soundstage to the next level. I find them 'boring' however, so it's really personal taste. The 800s are superior in technicality no doubt. However, I find musicality lacking (personally). Hope that helps

 

[Sonido]

  I have had the HD700 for about a week now and I like them very much. I hear people saying that the HD800 is even better. Can anyone elaborate a bit. In what areas are the HD800's better. I have heard the 700 is actually better in the bass area and that is one of the things I like about them. So how and where do the HD800's sound better?

What the guy above me said pretty much. The HD700 has a more euphonic sound from the get go, but the HD800 has better technicalities. However, as a current owner of the HD800 and a previous HD700 owner, I want to add that with experimentation, you can tweak the HD800 to sound what you want it to sound like. It's much more malleable and flexible in its sound signature, and it all depends on your chain. Funny thing is I've read David Mahler's flagship headphones thread and the piece on the HD800 many times even before I owned it, but only recently upon reading it again I noticed him saying the exact thing:
 
NEUTRALITY KING: In my opinion, the HD800 is the neutrality king. Depending on the setup, the HD800 may sound warm or bright. Because of its finicky nature with regard to amplification, many have described the HD800 as bright, but I cannot get on board with this description. I have heard the same pair of HD800's sound both dark and bright when paired with different setups. It really is a very amp-dependent headphone.
 
Pretty much that's what I have found as well. When I'm using the Schiit Vali, it has a brighter, leaner sound. Very quick and almost electrostatic-like. If I'm using with Bottlehead Quickie + Crack, it becomes a much warmer and darker headphone, losing that airiness, but gaining low end body and tactility that rivals that of planar magnetics. When people say the HD800 is "amp finicky" it means you have to take the effort to discover what signature you like best out of it because it can vary a lot depending on your chain. "Amp finicky" does not mean you have to spend a lot on expensive amps to have the HD800 sound good imo. My Quickie + Crack is only like $500, but it did require me to mess around with various amps to find the best one for me. Think the HD700 to a Mac computer that's already prebuilt and is well received, and the HD800 to be a computer you have to build yourself from parts you'd order from Newegg. I personally actually enjoy a headphone that has more customizability. The great thing is you can customize the sound signature to your personal taste and retain the superior technicalities. It's far easy to alter the signature like change the quantity of bass or treble than try retrieve more details or vastly increase the soundstage.

 

[HPiper]

 
What the guy above me said pretty much. The HD700 has a more euphonic sound from the get go, but the HD800 has better technicalities. However, as a current owner of the HD800 and a previous HD700 owner, I want to add that with experimentation, you can tweak the HD800 to sound what you want it to sound like. It's much more malleable and flexible in its sound signature, and it all depends on your chain. Funny thing is I've read David Mahler's flagship headphones thread and the piece on the HD800 many times even before I owned it, but only recently upon reading it again I noticed him saying the exact thing:
 
NEUTRALITY KING: In my opinion, the HD800 is the neutrality king. Depending on the setup, the HD800 may sound warm or bright. Because of its finicky nature with regard to amplification, many have described the HD800 as bright, but I cannot get on board with this description. I have heard the same pair of HD800's sound both dark and bright when paired with different setups. It really is a very amp-dependent headphone.
 
Pretty much that's what I have found as well. When I'm using the Schiit Vali, it has a brighter, leaner sound. Very quick and almost electrostatic-like. If I'm using with Bottlehead Quickie + Crack, it becomes a much warmer and darker headphone, losing that airiness, but gaining low end body and tactility that rivals that of planar magnetics. When people say the HD800 is "amp finicky" it means you have to take the effort to discover what signature you like best out of it because it can vary a lot depending on your chain. "Amp finicky" does not mean you have to spend a lot on expensive amps to have the HD800 sound good imo. My Quickie + Crack is only like $500, but it did require me to mess around with various amps to find the best one for me. Think the HD700 to a Mac computer that's already prebuilt and is well received, and the HD800 to be a computer you have to build yourself from parts you'd order from Newegg. I personally actually enjoy a headphone that has more customizability. The great thing is you can customize the sound signature to your personal taste and retain the superior technicalities. It's far easy to alter the signature like change the quantity of bass or treble than try retrieve more details or vastly increase the soundstage.

 
Well that sounds fair enough. I guess I will stick with the HD700's then. They sound really good to me on my current setup and I don't really have enough money to do a lot of amp shopping to find THE amp for the 800's. Though I do plan on getting a Lyr and on that same note I have heard that the HD800 sound particularly good on that amp. Just need to think on it a bit longer. I'll have to admit that Sennheiser surprised me with the HD700, I didn't think they would sound THAT much better than my HD650's. Boy was I wrong!

 

[Kirnupiima]

Amazon.es has these for 470€. Instantly bought a pair! I have faith in you guys. Fingers crossed I'll like them LOL

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

I took an interest in the 700s as they paired really well with my SPL Auditor amp (the hd800s don't imo even though Jude's review says otherwise) ..but recently
I tried my own 650s and a shop's 700s and 800s with a burson conductor amp and i have assessed that the 650s and 800s are just phenomenal phones with
the conductor. Just my own opinion here but it made me less sure about buying the 700s...they didnt seem to have good synergy with the conductor. But man with
the SPL they were phenomenal. 
 
I may sell my SPL in fact in the coming months. with my Mdac. PM me if anyone could be interested in that possibility. 

 

[shultzee]

  Good price.  Great headphone.  Hope you like them as much as I do.  Definitely a different signature than the HD-650, but I think it works and at that price is as good if not better than other options out there.  The PanAm has been on my list for little while now...how do you like it?  From what I have read it seems to work fairly well with a wide variety of headphones.  Also, do you find the Uber Bifrost to be a significant jump up from the internal DAC in the PanAM?
 
Please share your thoughts on the pairing between PanAm and HD-700 when you get a chance, especially if you also get a chance to hear HD-700 on other amps as well.  I am currently on a Dragonfly and looking to make a move up the ladder here at some point this year.

Just got the 700's and wow I am impressed.  Definitely a different signature than the 650's.  I need to get these puppies broken in a little.   The Pan Am does a super job with these phones.
On the low gain setting i am running about 10 o'clock  on the amp.  I can't believe I am hearing stuff I wasn't hearing on my 650's.  That may be a bad thing on some lesser recordings but I think I have found my end game set of phones (for now lol).  

 

[pdrm360]

  Just got the 700's and wow I am impressed.  Definitely a different signature than the 650's.  I need to get these puppies broken in a little.   The Pan Am does a super job with these phones.
On the low gain setting i am running about 10 o'clock  on the amp.  I can't believe I am hearing stuff I wasn't hearing on my 650's.  That may be a bad thing on some lesser recordings but I think I have found my end game set of phones (for now lol).  

 
Congrats!  I liked the Pan Am/HD700 combo a lot. You also need a couple weeks for brain burn-in since the HD700's sound signature is completely different than the HD650's.  

 

[Rob80b]

  .................................Definitely a different signature than the 650's.  I need to get these puppies broken in a little.   ......................................  

The HD700s are great and I find them just right and what I like about them is the lack of a defining signature, somewhat like the HD800 although a bit more laid back.
The HD600/650s also have great detail but subtler in their presentation and the perfect phones for chilling out, so it’s nice to have both the 700s and 600s on hand.
 
I found that they get better and better and settle down around the 50 hour mark once the compliance of the driver cone and brain membrane gets worked in.

 

[shultzee]

Hard to believe they can get better but I believe you.  My 650's definitely did after 30 ours or so.  Gosh I am thrilled with these 700's.  Its amazing how some flamers say they aren't that good, but ....to each their own.

 

[Greggo]

Glad you like them, and of course now I have to really make an effort to hear my own plugged into a Panam before I make a final decision on a new DAC and amp at some point.  The Glow Amp One is on my list as well as maybe building a Crack/Speedball.
 
It seems like a fair number of us HD-700 owners have found some improvement between 50-100 hours of use... it was around 40-50 hours for me as I swear there was a tipping point in there somewhere that made things just a bit better.

 

[shultzee]

The Pan Am is really a very good amp for sure. I do think the right tubes are important for your individual listening taste though.   I also have wondered how both the crack and the project ember stacks up to the pan am. 

 

[Rob80b]

  ............. Gosh I am thrilled with these 700's.  Its amazing how some flamers say they aren't that good, but ....to each their own.

I’m sure some members, a few of whom are very knowledgeable and respected, heard what they heard but I’m a bit perplexed by their negative observations, but remember..... for every comment there are at least 100 or more regurgitations from those who have never actually even tried them.

 

[Jon-LF]

I’m sure some members, a few of whom are very knowledgeable and respected, heard what they heard but I’m a bit perplexed by their negative observations, but remember..... for every comment there are at least 100 or more regurgitations from those who have never actually even tried them.

I think it's preference. The 700s we're designed as neutral phones mostly but it has a very exciting (to some spikey) top end. It's not for everyone really, but to my ears the sound signature is quite awesome.